Almost Dead

Author's Note: Hello! This is my first story for Wattpad, and I'm warning you now, I'm not the best writer. But I do it anyway. It's enjoyable. It would be better if I actually wanted to go back and edit this, but alas, I do not. There are a few POV switches, so I hope that doesn't bother you.

Alice's POV

I exhaled as I slammed the big metal door behind me and leaned against it. There were too many and I left my weapon in another building. I'm just glad I made it to the compound before they could get to me. I locked the door and walked down the narrow hall way to my room. I stopped in front of a wooden door with "A24" on a metal plaque. I turned the doorknob and stepped inside. On one of the beds sat my best friend and roommate, Elizabeth Harrison, Liz for short. I think they put me and Liz in the same room because we're both orphans and came here in the same group. She was using the mirror to weave her long blonde hair into a side braid. I sat down on the bed across from her.

"Hey Alice. I thought you were out gathering food with the group?" she said. Everyone above 14 that had a chance at survival, even women, had to go on a cycled scout for food, leaving the compound every week on Wednesday. Im 17, almost 18. And needless to say, I was on this week.

"I lost the group while finding my way back and I came across a group of zoms," I replied.

"Oh my God! Are you alright?!" she exclaimed with worry in her tone.

"I'm fine. I had to distract them to somewhere else then hightail it to the door."

"At least you're alright. Do you think Ben is ok?" Ben is Elizabeth's boyfriend. They're kinda gross, but it's cute at the same time.

"Knowing him, he's probably fine," I reassured her. "He's most likely with the group, and if he got separated, he probably found a way back."

Liz worries to much. Sometimes I worry for her health. I mean, it can't be healthy to worry that much. We spent the next half hour or so talking about what it would be like if the infection never took over. We speak on this subject often. By the time the group got back, they were relieved to see I was safe back at the compound. The compound is just a shitty apartment building that was pretty much like a college dormitory and was falling apart even before the infection spread. I was in the group that found this place about a year ago. It's suitable enough though.

After a while, dinner time came around. We had to ration the food because it was becoming more and more limited by the day. I got in line with the rest of the lucky ones in a large room that used to be several apartments, but they took out some walls for more room. I picked up a bag of chips, a cup of apple sauce, and a Coke. I sat in my usual spot next to Liz, Ben, and Liz's little brother Jeremy.

We ate in silence until Ben spoke up. "Why is it that the end if the world is approaching and we have nothing to talk about anyway?"

"I guess we're all in our own thought about it," I answered. He was right though. We should have something to talk about, because there is a lot to be said, but it is never shared.

"How about we talk like normal teenagers do? Like, when everything was normal," Liz insisted. Then she gasped, letting how the worst idea I've heard thus far, "How about Truth or Dare?"

"Wow great idea, Liz," I retorted. "We might as well go back to 7th grade."

"Any better ideas," she said with a hint of offense. There was moment of silence and she said, "Thought so. Alice first."

"It's been a while since I've done this, meaning even before the infection, but I'll try," I said. "Jeremy, Truth or Dare.

"Truth"

"Do you like anyone here?"

"Really, Alice? That's your question? My grandmother could probably do better than that!" Ben teased.

"Ok. So maybe the last time I've done this was middle school, so maybe I'm inexperienced with socialization, but I was pretty quiet and reserved for the past few years," I defended.

"You? Quiet and reserved? Hard to believe," Ben said.

"I changed."

We carried on with our hopeless bickering for the rest of dinner, Liz and Jeremy laughing at our remarks and comebacks. By the end I realized that we just did it. We had a normal teenage conversation. We were all excused to roam the halls, like there was anywhere to go. People usually just sat in their rooms with

friends and talked or played card games. We all walked back to me and Liz's room and took a seat on the beds. We had a normal conversation like normal teens. Playing Truth-or-Dare, laughing and teasing, almost like the human race wasn't slowly dying.

It was getting darker as I could see through our little barred up window. I looked at the clock. It was already 9:43. Ben and Jeremy decided to go back to their rooms. Ben gave Liz a kiss goodnight and left with Jeremy close behind. We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm thinking of running away," I said without thought. I was planning to tell her later, but I was glad I said it, because I wanted to leave as soon as I could.

"What?" Liz jolted up. "Are you insane? It's dangerous our there! And it's safe here! Where would you get such and idea?"

"I don't like being here. It's so crowded and not to mention the terribly punctual and early schedule. Plus, we can't stay here forever," I told Liz.

"But, Alice, what would you do? How would you survive? What would you expect to gain?" Liz was worrying again.

"I don't know, but I feel like there's more out there. More people to find. I can feel it."

"But you can't just leave! When would you do this? Whatever you do, I'm staying here. But I should go with you. Ok fine, I'll support where you go and come along. Oh Alice, I don't know what I would do," Liz went on about what I would do and what she would do, but I tuned her out and thought of what lies beyond our knowledge.

"When would we leave?" I cut her off in the middle of her sentence.

"What do you mean? I didn't even decide that I was going yet?"

"You're gonna end up going with me anyway. You can bring whoever you want, but they're there own responsibility," I went over a few rules to the adventure and Liz just sat and listened.

"We can't do this," Liz said. "What about everyone here? What about Ben? I don't want to leave him, but he can't leave his parents. And Jeremy. He would die the first day out."

"I can get us past the zombies. The only problem is that we don't know what's out there. But I'm willing to take this risk."

"I don't even know what to say to you anymore," Liz looked flustered. "Just go to sleep. I don't want to talk about this right now. I need to think."

"Alright. Night."

"Night."

I laid down and pulled up my comforter. I was too tired to think about it, and if I did I wouldn't get any rest. I closed my eyes and lost all thought to the peace of sleep.

This was a short chapter. I wish I could make it longer by adding the next chapter to it, but I don't want to, and I'm not a "do whatever it takes to make my readers happy" kind of person. But thanks for reading it anyway and I appreciate it deeply.